Alberta Birth Stories
In our new blog segment, the Alberta Association of Midwives is sitting down with midwives throughout the province for an inside look at midwifery in Alberta and the important topics that make our profession unique, personal and compelling.
Birth is a natural and powerful process, and no one recognizes this more than the midwives who witness all stages of the birth journey. Alberta midwives provide care from early pregnancy through postpartum, including being by your side when you give birth. The support they provide to birthing people and their families nurtures the emotional, mental and physical well-being of new parents and their babies.
This month, we connected with two midwives in our province to learn more about their experiences and stories. Terri Demers is a rural midwife serving Lethbridge and surrounding area, working with Cardston Community Midwives. Patty Lenstra has been practicing midwifery in Calgary since 1991, and currently provides care to families through Birth Partnership Midwives. They have witnessed miracles, struggle, perseverance and some very humours experiences in their years as registered midwives, and they have generously agreed to share some of those stories with us!
Hi Patty and Terri! What was the experience of 'catching' your first baby like?
Patty: I literally "caught" my first baby when I was a new graduate nurse working in a small northern community. I had very little exposure to birthing during my nursing education and could hardly keep up to what was happening to the lovely couple who appeared on the unit one night. I was terrified by the noise the woman was making and could barely get them into a room and into the bed. When the mom said, "the baby is coming", I quickly peeked under the blankets and could see the head emerging. Within seconds the little one was in my hands which I instinctively passed to the mom, as I felt she was the most qualified person in the room at that time!
I remember thinking how I wish I had had the knowledge and skill to have been supportive and reassuring for this brave, strong woman who had come to the hospital for care and was met by me, a novice nurse, with no idea how the birth process worked. Shortly after, I had the opportunity to work with a Masters of Midwifery student, who introduced me to the magnificent and mystical world of midwifery, and so my journey began...
Terri: My first catch was a memorable one. The birthing person was my lifelong friend and she and her husband were moving. So, labour began at one home and ended in another home! The nice moving guys moved her birth supplies and bed into the house first; she then birthed her baby in one room while they moved her into the rest of her house!
That first catch baby was also my first “2nd generation catch baby”, as a year ago she became a mother herself! It was so joyful to see – a beautiful full circle.
What do you wish more people knew about the birth process?
Patty: That birth is truly an amazing and powerful experience. It requires the support of caregivers who believe in it, who do not fear the process and are dedicated to protecting it.
Terri: I wish people knew how beautiful and strong they were. How miraculous and unique every birth is.
Tell us about one of your most memorable, funny or empowering birth experiences.
Patty: I say this with complete truth, each birth has been memorable and empowering.
If I could choose a humorous one, it would be the time I was back up for one of my colleagues who was having a challenging time with a labour at home and called me for support.
On arrival, we determined that the woman was not as far along as my colleague thought. Hearing the news, the woman decided she needed an epidural. Once the thought was in her mind, there was no stopping her; she was out the door, heading for the hospital. I quickly grabbed the robe that was laying on the bed and managed to convince her it might be a good idea not to go naked to the hospital. Just as I managed to tie the robe around her, the elevator door opened and out came a cyclist, completely oblivious to the site that "might have been". Labouring people are so much fun!
Terri: Rural midwifery is full of fun moments. It might be a visit to the colony for lunch or attending a service with them in German. I might be feeding a baby goat at a home visit, as mom only needed help with farm chores and not breastfeeding support. I might be driving through a snow-covered field towards a farmhouse, unable to locate the gravel road, so creating our own! Those are a few of the funny ones. Every birth is memorable and hopefully empowering.
How can partners, friends and family best support birthing people?
Patty: They need to know that birthing people need unconditional love without judgment.
Terri: Partners and family are always the best support people. I love to see them being present with the birthing person as their primary focus. Support isn’t just for birthing, though! Having support people during prenatal appointments, or in postpartum and helping them adjust is also a wonderful gift to give an expectant or new parent.
Is there a moment or experience that stands out to you where you recognized the power and the impact that midwifery has on the birth process?
Patty: I remember a labour that I was attending at the hospital. The labour had been long, and the woman was working hard for every little bit of progress. I felt I needed a second perspective to ensure I wasn't missing anything. Not having a midwifery colleague near, I consulted with our obstetrician (OB), who, after an assessment, advised me that there was "no way" this baby was coming out without a C-section. I was not expecting that particular response, and asked him why, and he simply said, "it won't fit".
Undeterred, I replied, "I guess we will see". I went back to the room, and continued to encourage and support her using the power of the midwifery mystique, and we had a baby an hour later. The OB sought me out after the birth, wanting to know what I had done, and I told him I simply kept working with the power of the process. It was a lovely moment!
Terri: Just this week, someone having a baby said this was so different from her other births. She felt ready, prepared and excited for labour. She later said it was her best labour yet. Her first time after several without an epidural. She was thrilled with how strong and healthy she felt and wished they had found midwifery earlier.
I have heard birthing people and their partners sharing how connected they feel to the pregnancy, to the experience and to their midwives. I love that midwifery is family-centered.
How can birthing people support their mental health during pregnancy and birth?
Patty: Birthing people can protect their mental health by being open and honest about their feelings and fears. Sharing their thoughts releases them. This allows them to explore where the thoughts are coming from and how they can deal with them. Sharing their thoughts with others that are having similar experiences is also very powerful. That is why our midwifery team hosts Group Prenatal. Sharing within the group normalizes their experience and settles their anxiety.
Terri: Find your support people. Make a list of ways you would find helpful for people to support you. So many people would love to help but just don’t know what they can do. Give them permission to wash your floor or clean your bathroom. You will be surprised how people will show up for you when they know what they can do to help.
What was the moment when you fell in love with birth and knew you wanted to be a midwife? What drew you to this career?
Patty: I was initially called to the nursing profession, a decision that I have never regretted. I loved the people and the work. I accidentally discovered obstetrics while working in a small northern hospital. I loved the excitement of labour and birth and the peace that came after the baby was born. I felt unskilled for such an important role and sought out ways to increase my knowledge. I soon realized it would be through midwifery. Unfortunately, midwifery was not a recognized profession in Alberta (or Canada) at the time [Note: In 1992, Alberta became the second jurisdiction in Canada to legally recognize midwives.], so when the opportunity to be part of a unique program that extended the role of the Registered Nurse, I jumped at the opportunity. It provided me my Nurse-Midwifery certification. I was honoured to be accepted into the program. It was the beginning of many fabulous opportunities that enabled me to work as a midwife and blessed me with this wonderful career.
Terri: I was a young teenage mom. My family was away in another province when labour started for me. I called my mom who was a 4-hour plane ride away, and told her I had started labour. She had me call a lady in the community who “knew about birth” she had met at church. I called her at 3am on July 13th and she took my call in the middle of the night. Ever-patient, ever-loving, and without hesitation, she guided me that night through my first labour and delivery. I birthed my son at 6:15 that morning into the loving arms of a midwife who cared for me with such tender care. She shaped my whole being. She provided respectful care that guided me to want to become a midwife myself one day. It was a respect I had not received through the rest of my teenage pregnancy in a time where teen pregnancy was highly discouraged, she treated me as a person, not an age. She gifted me that most wonderful first birth experience one could have asked for. I wasn’t her client that night. She didn’t have to take my call but she showed me what “midwife” really means and was so with me in that moment. I will forever be thankful for her.
What advice do you offer people before and during the birth process?
Patty: I encourage them to prepare for their best birth experience, but also to prepare for the possibility of the unexpected, and how they would want it managed and how they might feel about it. Labour and birth is always a road not yet travelled. We map the route, and then we deal with the roadblocks and detours as needed to get to the destination. In most cases, it is smooth and easy, and we look back on the wonderful journey. If it was a difficult journey, we want them to feel that they were safe, listened to, and kept informed as to what was happening. This is where empowerment happens.
Terri: I suggest finding words that are empowering and to practice using them. I know words have power. I believe you can use empowering words and find the inner strength for birth, parenting and life. I advise people to trust themselves and their body. We’re intuitive, and we must nurture that within ourselves.
What should clients expect when they choose to birth 1) at home 2) at a birth centre 3) at a hospital?
Patty: I think it is important to reassure clients that they should expect the same quality of care at any of our sites of birth. I feel that our role as midwives is to ensure that the birth experience is the best it can be, regardless of where or how we get there. I also explain that safety is provided by the caregiver, and when they receive attentive care, they will be where they need to be for the birth. I encourage them to choose the place where they will feel most comfortable to labour and then be open to let the labour decide where the birth should be.
Terri: No matter where you choose to birth, you can expect respectful and informed care. At home, you can enjoy your own environment. I love home birth as you see people in their own element.
What is your favourite thing about rural midwifery?
Terri: I love rural midwifery! I love the community. I love watching the babies that I have seen born grow up and start families of their own. I love having clients in care, knowing I will see them again and again and again. I love driving to a rural home to be met by excited siblings who want to show me the new baby and the new kittens and calf. I love the beautiful drives and mountains I get to call home. Rural midwifery is really spectacular.
The Alberta Association of Midwives promotes the growth and sustainability of midwives and midwifery services in Alberta. We tell the stories of midwives in our province so that the profession of midwifery is understood, respected and valued in our communities.
If you have a story to share about midwifery in Alberta, connect with us to be featured in a future blog post.
